When a man looks like Elton John, sings like Elton John and plays piano like Elton John, what choice is there but to tour the world playing sold-out concerts as a tribute to the classic-rock legend.

Nine years ago, when record executive Ron Camilleri began picking up bar gigs with his brother and a few others, it quickly became apparent he ticked all three of those boxes. The fans who heard his band play seemed to enjoy listening to Camilleri perform Elton John classics above all else.

“When I was a kid, I played guitar but I used to listen to Elton John and Billy Joel. They were two of my favourite artists. So when I finally bought myself a piano, I learned how to play by listening to these songs. So the only way I know how to play piano is like Elton John,” Camilleri said. “If you gave me classical music, I’d play it very percussively like Elton.”

Though he didn’t set out to perform night after night as Elton John, the rock star’s early influence on Camilleri ultimately led him to travel the world performing tribute shows, one of which – on March 23 at Stratford Northwestern Secondary School – will be a benefit concert for the Children’s Wish Foundation.

Starting at 7:30 p.m., Elton Rohn, as he calls himself and his band onstage, says he will bring a Stratford audience as close to experiencing a live 1970s Elton John concert as possible, complete with extravagant costumes changes but minus the pricey cost of admission to see Elton John today.

“We love doing charity shows. In fact, one of the reasons I started doing this – I said maybe we can do something really good out of this. We hooked up with the company, benefitshow.net … and they specialize in doing charity, so I said … I want to do this. I think we did 14 shows with them last year, and we’re doing more this year.

“… One of the things that are really great is at the shows the charities are there and sometimes we get to meet all the kids. It’s just so much fun taking photos with them and talking to them before and after the show.”